photos colorized by steve bixenmann
Love it or hate it, adding color to old black and white photographs offers yet another way to look at the past. And it's fun! Steve joined our Facebook group in 2019 and threw in a couple of keepers!
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try 2 simplified versions for yourself |
here are some slide shows of steve's work. you can then scroll down if you'd like to linger on comparisons.
some of the photos
PHoto 8231
class of 1941
In this photo shared by Gary & Terry Frank, their father Leland is in the middle row, second from right. The others are not identified, but some are recognizable. Back row 2nd from left Boyd Bowen. Front row holding the sign, Maxine Gottula Hunzeker. Front row far right Lillian Flider Goodenkauf.
photo 2099
a young lola flider
Steve did a little retouching of this one, too. Lola and her husband Ed had the drive in for many years, and all the kids knew them
Photo 4435
an elderly delores mccourtney penkava, visited by pastor dorothy & her little dog sadie
I was visiting Delores, who was quite depressed in the nursing home. In came Pastor Dorothy like a storm of joy, and her little dog, too. Pastor Dorothy was brand new then and this was her first visit to the facility. The original photograph had horrible colors from the flourescent lights. I sent a black and white copy to Steve and asked if he could add back color. Turned out great!
photos 404 & 407
a traveling carnival in table rock
photo 1834
the exquisitely beautiful strejc sisters julia & tillie
Julia Strejc Breuer (1891-1962) & Tillie Strejc Stanek (1895-1962), both buried in the Table Rock Czech cemetery. They were the children of Anthony and Mary Werner Strejc. Both families were Czech.
Photo 955
"grandma & grandpa strejc,"
probably julia & tillie's grandparents
Julia & Tillie's father, Anthony Strejc 1862-1927) came to American with his parents in 1878. These are presumably his parents, Antonin and Josefa Pesek Strejc, who came here with their children in 1878. Anthony Strejc married Mary Werner (1872-1967) in 1890 and they had the two girls. Mary's parents, Joe & Matilda Werner, came to the United States in an early wave of Czech settlers, probably right after the Civil War. Julia and Tillie and their husbands and their parents and their grandparents (and others) are buried in the Table Rock Czech cemetery.
photo 8036
west side of the square
Cara Harris Davis shared this wonderful picture of the west side of the Square, and Steve immediately colorized it.
photo 7785
rufus mapes
art alderman from a picture of the 6th graders
photo 5065
panoramic view of the brick yard
Panoramic view of the brick yard, Snabl barn in the background. Although the brick yard usually operated seasonally, here it looks abandoned, not just closed for the winter. Donated by Sharla Sitzman.
photo 492
approaching taylor branch bridge during flood stage
This photograph appears to show the view facing east as one was about to cross the Taylor Branch bridge. The creek looks to be in flood stage, probably circa 1915. The brick sidewalk is noteworthy. It ran from the depot uptown and around the Square, and brick sidewalks were laid all over town.
Photo 8034
dow family picture
John Dow sent this picture taken with the old Dow family home in the background. He doesn't know who it is. Is it a wedding couple or a wedding anniversary couple? Based on how they are dressed, and that they are apparently being driven by a chauffeur, one would expect that it was a special occasion.
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photo 3107
gordon bethel with frank & mary mertes
Photo 4904
the schroeder "cash store" in the purcell building
This photo comes from an album donated many years ago by Ines Madden.
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photo 6577 -- a very young c. w. giddings.
he would later, in 1856, become the president of the nebraska settlement company and be considered the founder of table rock.
photo 6578, the wedding portrait of c. w.'s oldest daughter, fannie.
c. w. AND fANNIE gIDDINGS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS came to table rock with the family in 1857. FANNIE, WHEN ENGAGED TO ANOTHER, MET CHAUNCEY NORRIS AT THE GIDDINGS FAMILY BOARDING HOUSE IN 1860 AND THEY ELOPED. he was a merchant IN TABLE ROCK, THEN FALLS CITY; HE left to fight in the civil war then the indian war, came back and was indian agent near falls city, then came back to table rock as a merchant, BUILDING THE BIG 2-STORY HOUSE ON THE NORTH EAST CORNER OF THE SQUARE.
at the pump, a purcell family photo photo 1810 |
A little story by Margaret Hunt about this picture:
the methodist youth choir
the fencl family - go, nebraska!
photo 3335
south side of the square
Note from the editor: I like to call this the "cell phone" lady scene. The lady pushing the buggy has her right arm and actually looks like she's talking on a phone. It's the profile picture of our Facebook group page.
g. r. martin's house
This house is now long abandoned but it once sparked for it's owner, G. R. Martin -- called Rice Martin. He is the one who built the Opera House!
"the table rock band"
a photo from the late 1890s
PHOTO 163
train at table rock
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at the 1929 humboldt fall festival
For this one, Steve grabbed a frame out of an old video we had posted on YouTube!
photo 1897 - the purcell christmas tree
photo 39 - macha family members near dubois, in a 1914 reo
photo 619: in 1912, teddy roosevelt's whistle stop in table rock
photo 79: an accident at the round house in 1908
This photograph deserves explanation. The October 8, 1908 edition of the Argus described what happened, and offers evidence that not one of those smiling men is J. A. Barnes:
Last Tuesday morning while at work around the engines in the round house, Foreman J. A. Barnes met with quite an accident. |